So it appears vengeance is mine! Half a year ago I was pulled for doing 80-ish in a 70 on I-26 in Newberry, South Carolina (no surprise there). Being Newberry and knowing the troopers there protect and serve with a passion, I should have known better. Also knowing that they care enough to ticket anyone without prejudice lets me know that I'll be safe on the road whenever I'm there, because South Carolinians know that the first rule about Newberry is: YOU DO NOT SPEED IN NEWBERRY.
While not exactly a "don't drop the soap" infraction, it was hardly entertaining (especially the fact that mere seconds before the blue lights came on I said to myself, "That's probably an unmarked car"). After the kind officer gave me my ticket I pulled back onto the highway and continued my journey. Now it appears as if everything has come full circle, and people need to know about this one.
We've all seen police speeding around; usually jokes about being cops and getting away with it are told and fun is had all around, really knowing that when 5-0 is driving fast they're off to catch some bad guys (or raid your trunk). In this case a State Trooper was running late for Carolina Cup duty (we all know not to speed anywhere near there, either) and assumed as a cop it would be ok to jet to work at over 130 miles per hour.
Well, boss, here's a lesson for you: you ain't above the law, even if you are the law. If an average Joe were caught at that speed, the possibility of a suspended license would be no question (although in all reality a wallet-leeching ticket would be more likely).
I hope the cop's punishment is just. This isn't mere "haha, busted" talk; this is serious. People like this guy need to learn that doing that kind of speed on a public road endangers everyone, especially in such a highly-trafficked area. Frankly, officers like him are the ones who give cops a bad name and invoke the aforementioned jokes about the popo going over the line just because they have badges.
A little respect has been lost for the South Carolina State Troopers in my book, and unless this guy gets more than just a slap on the wrist that respect won't be earned back for a very long time. I invite people to write in to make sure the judge shows Oinky McSpeeds-a-lot what happens when you break the law to the point of such reckless excess. I don't like disrespecting cops. Hypocrites, on the other hand, are no problem at all.
By Phil Alex
Story: Charlotteobserver , Photo: Schp
Phil Alex was born in Rhode Island in 1985, yet for reasons unbeknownst to him moved to South Carolina. He graduated with degrees in Finance and German from Wofford College in 2007 and has had a strange obsession with cars and travel. When not back in Sparkle City, he resides near Japan's international airport in Narita. He makes no apologies for his articles and welcomes all feedback, as long as it is adamantly worded. Oh, and if for any reason you are inclined to vent some more, check out more of his posts on the Examiner.
